Gas trap



Oct. 25, 1938.

w. c. KIMBROUGH GAS TRAP Filed Feb. 27, 1937 i6 L 119 1a 3nventor BB W.C.Kimbmugh W WW Patented Oct. 25, 1938 GAS TRAP Warren 0. Kimbroug-h, Omaha, Nebr. V I Application February 27, 1937, Serial No. 128,208 3 3 Claims' (01, is-I19 This inventionarelates to gas detectors,-and more particularly to gas traps andhas for an object to provide means for detecting whetheror not a gasmain' or pipe in a street has become 5. broken: and-toprovide means for preventing poisonous fuel gases from entering a dwelling.

- A further object ofthe invention is to provide means for'the above stated purposes which are economical in construction and may be readily to installed for usein connection with gas pipes ther'etofore buried in an'd'below the service of the ground, said means: adapted to warn the occupants of a dwelling of the escape of poisonous gas thereby giving opportunity to check dangerous ll g'as'leaks'and for repairing the pipeconductors of saidgas. Other'and further objects and advantages of the'inv'ention willbe understood from the follow: ingfd'etailed description thereof, reference being 20 had to the accompanying drawing in which:

"Figure1 isa longitudinal vertical section of the invention installed in 'a position of use in connection witha pipe conductor of poisonous fuel gasesjthe vlew"be'i ngtaken substantially on line 25 of Figure 2,, i

" Figure 2 is an" end view of the said device. Hret'ofore resultant from theintensive cold of wintersfffrost entering the ground and the like, asgw its other causes, the alignment of gas .30 pipe's -"or' mains becomes disrupted, causing fuel a gas to leak therefrom and since said pipes are buried below the 'surfacefof the ground the gas does not escape to the atmosphere, but follows along the looseearth about and specially adjac'e'ntthe bottom of the pipe, seeking an escape specially-as'thepressure supplied by'the main increases," whereby the gas follows lateral branches of the main and enters basements of dwelling houses' pois'oning the occupants thereof 4D and said causes during the'preceding winter in the city of Omaha, Nebraska, did occasion several fatalities to the sleeping occupants of several dwelling houses and it is an objectof the invention to obviate the undesired practices of the 40 prior rt. I

Referring'now to the drawing for a more particular description, 10 indicates a pipe conductor of and for gas, the latter normally flowing through the pipe in the direction of the arrow H,

a 50 the normal position of said pipe being below the surface l2 of the ground I3.

It will be understood that the end M of the pipe is in communication with a supply of gas under pressure from a main, not shown, buried 55 under the surface of an adjacent street and that the end I5 of said pipe is closely adjacent toand enters through a basement wall or a dwelling, not shown-for supplying gas for conventional fuel purposes in a .welliknown manner. At this time the pipe ID is installedina trench and loose earth 5 filled into the trench aboutthe pipe. In manyinstancessaid earth settles away from the bottom of thepipe, providing thereby an open-passageway "through which gaswhich escapes from a broken main may flow or is forced by pressure of gas escaping from the said main in instances where the latter is broken, said 'gasfollowing along said passageway and traversing the bottom of the pipeand'entering a dwelling through the brick'walls of 'the basement, particularly in instances where the foundations of the dwelling do not extend below the pipe l0, and thenew device is adapted to prevent deadly and noxious gases from entering said dwelling.

The gas trap of the present inventionincludes a hollow housing having side wallslG and end Walls l'|= which are joined together providing a frame'which is rectangular in plan,- said housing having an open bottom, the lower edeges 18 of said Walls are disposed below the level of the 12 V pipe ill, in use. Opposite disposed notches I9 being provided in oppositely disposed sidewalls for permittingthe housingto be lowered,'whereby the oppositely disposed sidewalls of said notches receive the pipe 10, therebetween and whereby 3- the pipe l4 extends longitudinally through said housing and notches, a hole having been first dug from the surface ll ofthe ground to a point below and in vertical alignment with the pipe l0.

"-Ihe housingis preferablymanufactured with a detachable roof 20, the-latter being preferably of pyramidal shape, having an outlet 2| at the top portion or apexthereoi and flanges 22 at the base of said pyramid, said flanges extending in 'the ground and is preferably provided with a gooseneck or semi-circular portion 26 whereby the free end of the conduit or the open end 21 thereof is closer to said surface ll than the semicircular portion 26 for preventing dbris from entering the housing through the conduit such as might otherwise enter by means of unauthorized persons, children or the like placing said dbris in said conduit and, if desired, a screen may be placed acrossrthe open end of said conduit and secured to the latter. 4

As best shown in Figure 2, one of the notches I9 is of lesser transverse width than the other, said notch of lesser width being diposed towards the dwelling and means are provided for plugging or closing said notch, said means preferably comprised of split washers which collectively are adapted to encircle the pipe I0 and abut the latter for saidv purpose,.s'aid washers being secured to the adjacent wall l6 during installation, whereby gas is prevented from flowing outwardly of the housing and toward said dwelling along said pi and through said notch.

The notch opposite to said smaller notch is of larger area or transverse width than the diameter of the pipe I4 and remains open in use for permitting gas following along the pipe Ill from said main to enter thehousing or trap through said wider notch.

The roof of the housing is preferably manufactured removable from the walls thereof to facilitate installation and shipping and after saidhole is dug in the ground the walls are lowered and installed as abovedescribed, the roof being detached at this time, whereby the operator may stand within the walls and settle-the latter firmlyintothe ground, packing earth upwardly of, the walls above the lower edges I8 thereof and securing the washers for pluggin the smaller notch as above, described. 7

At this time if so desired, theoperator may install a transverse disposed rod orsupport 28 under the pipe ID, as shown in Figure 1, for preventing frostor the like from heaving said walls upwardlyof their selected position with-respect tothe .pipe i0; The roof is now placed on the walls and cement may be applied to the member -23 for sealingtherflanges 22, if desired." The conduit 25 being placed in position, earth is replaced about the device and upon the roof thereof until said earth reaches the level l2 or surface of the ground.

M Inoperation'escaping gasfollowing along the pipe Iii ,asabove described enters the hollow :housing, but is prevented from entering the dwelling, said gas escaping throughthe outlet -2l of the roofand the occupants of the dwelling upondetecting an escape of gas by sense of smell rnayapprise workmen that the main should be repaired. In instances where several of the new devices are installed at different points along .the

street, the place where the main is broken may be more readily located thereby for repair thereof at a-lessened cost for theisame and as compared to uncovering an extensive length of main for locating a leak.

Preferably the end walls I! of-the device are each provided with an outstanding hood 29 having-open bottoms and roofs 30 which are inclined upwardly and toward said side walls, said hoods .functioningto collect gas which may be present Preferably the roof 20 is provided with-a plurality of hoods 3| having open ends which function for the same purpose as the hoods 29 in connecting stray gases and concentrating the same for discharge or escape through the outlet 2|, whereby detection of gas leaks is facilitated.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted by the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A gas trap comprising a hollow housing having side walls, means for permitting the application and withdrawal of the housing without disturbing the fuel gas pipe to which it is applied including a roof and an open bottom, oppositely disposed side walls being provided with notches opening. from the bottom edge of said walls, oppositely disposed side walls of said notches adapted to be lowered about and receive therebetween a pipe conductor of fuel gas while the latter is disposed below the surface of the ground, whereby said pipe extends through said notches and said walls, and thelower portions of said walls are disposed below said pipe, one of said notches being of such awidth with respect to the diameter of said pipe that escaped gas may enter said housing therethrough, and means adapted to encircle and abut said pipe for closing the other of said notches for preventing passage of gas therethrough, said roof provided with an outletadapted to be disposed above the surface of said ground for permitting communication of gas from the housing to the atmosphere.

2. A gas trap comprising a hollow housing having side walls, a roof and an open bottom, means on oppositely disposed side walls for permitting fuel gas pipe to pass through saidhousing with the lower portions ofqsaid sidewalls extending below said pipe and for permitting entrance of escaped gas to the housing through one side wall and preventing passage of said escaped gas-through said side walls, means carried by the roof forconductingthe escaped gas to the atmosphere, and hood means on said housing for collecting other escaped gas within said housing comprising a plurality of hoods each having an ,openbottom communicating with the interior of the housing and a closed top.

3. A gas trap comprising a hollow housing having side walls, a roof and an open bottom. means on oppositely disposed side walls for permitting fuel gas pipe to pass through said housing with 'the lower portions of said side walls extending below said pipe and for permitting entrance of escaped gas tothe housing'through one side wall and preventing passage of said escaped gas through said side walls, means carried by the roof for conducting the escaped gas to the atmosphere, and means cooperating with said pipe vfor'rnaintaining the housing. in operative position.

' WARREN C. KIMBROUGI-I. 

